Election Observation Mission Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking
States
Referendum on
the Amendments to the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic
11 December 2016
STATEMENT
Following the invitation from the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Observation Mission of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (hereinafter referred to as the Mission) observed the Referendum on the Amendments to the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic (hereinafter referred to as the Referendum) held on 11 December 2016.
The Mission carried out its activities in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as generally recognized rules of international election observation missions.
The Mission consisted of experts with comprehensive international election observation experience from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey, as well as the representatives of the Secretariat of the Cooperation Council of the Turkic Speaking States launched its activities on 9 December 2016 in Bishkek.
In the framework of the observation of the pre-referendum process, the Mission visited a number of polling stations where met with the representatives of territorial election commissions who provided the members of the Mission with in-depth information about preparations of the referendum. During the pre-referendum process no irregularities were reported to the Mission.
Throughout the Referendum day, the Mission has conducted the observation of the voting procedures in 30 polling stations in Bishkek. Voting procedures were implemented according to the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic. The precinct election commissions provided full access for international and local observers for active observation in all locations covered by the Mission.
Appropriate conditions were also provided for political parties, non-governmental organizations and other groups to conduct broader transparent observation. Voting was conducted smoothly. Good level of participation was observed from early hours until late afternoon during the Referendum Day. No case of illegal intervention by administrative or law enforcement authorities to the work of election commissions was observed. No obstacles to the right of free voting were monitored either.
Furthermore, at the end of the voting day the Mission observed the counting process in one of the polling stations. Counting of votes was implemented by the election commissions in accordance with rules set out by the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic and tabulation of results was conducted in a timely manner.
The active participation of the citizens in the voting, the good performances of the precinct election commissions, and free access for observers to all procedures can be singled out as the major findings of the Mission.
It can also be noted that public order was secured at the polling stations. Propaganda materials, coercion by any political group, leakage of voting bulletins and restrictions for disabled people (except one or two places) were not observed in the course of the voting.
Some voters and observers complained that the ballot papers were only in the Kyrgyz language and that is why not everybody could understand the content. The Mission also noticed some problems concerning the finger print identification mainly among the elderly people to find their names in the registry. As to the technological concerns, it can also be added that some computers and finger print recognition technology did not work properly due to weather constraints in some polling stations.
In conclusion, Observation Mission of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States affirms that the Referendum on the Amendments to the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic was conducted in an open, transparent and professional way in compliance with the national legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic and generally/internationally accepted standards of democratic elections.
Ömer Kocaman - Head of the Mission
Ahmet Asim Arar - Member of the Mission
Talgat Shaldanbay - Member of the Mission
Elshan Asgarov - Member of the Mission
Zamin Aliyev - Member of the Mission
Dastan Almen - Member of the Mission
